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Work Life Balance

The manager rubbed his temples as he slouched in his chair. He was exhausted. This little HR problem was supposed to have been resolved by now. But some people just refused to see reason. Now he was stuck at the office working on a Saturday. And why? Because someone else wanted to chase after a silly dream.

On some level he supposed a part of him was envious of her. It must be nice to still be capable of dreams. To be able to still remember those brief moments of hope. If he tried he could vaguely remember when he was like that. He was young and had only just joined the company. The world was a realm of possibilities and the sky was the limit! But... It didn't work out that way. It never does. That was the problem with dreaming. No matter how great it was you eventually had to wake up... And the more fantastic your dream? The more you were crushed when the oppressive state that was reality caught up with you.

He had learned that well. Thirty years of his life to this company. What was his reward? A job in middle management that barely paid his mortgage and a paper certificate on the wall. It didn't even have his name on it. Why would it? He wasn't a person. He was just a gear turning in the machine. One of many nameless gears. The company was what was important. The company was what would last. The people who made it up? They were replaceable.

But it was up to the company to dictate when you were replaced. One couldn't simply drop their responsibilities whenever they choose. That hurt productivity. Two employees had gone missing recently. It had been a huge pain to get them back. A lot of unpaid overtime. The second had been especially difficult to bring back. And now? Now they were trying to do something foolish. And because of that... He had to work the weekend.

For a brief moment he considered just letting it go. Let them destroy themselves. The company would survive the loss. He could rest. Ah... But they would need to be replaced. More time and effort would be spent finding ideal candidates. Then he'd have to take on their workload until the new candidates took over. Then they'd have to be trained. What a bother. No... There was only one option. He took no delight in crushing the hope of someone else. It was simply something that was going to happen anyway. It was just bad luck that it was his job to do it.

The phone rang.

"Have you located a suitable target?" The manager asked.

"We found one. It was difficult but we're working on getting her to the location. We've convinced her a distant relative owned part of the forest and left it to her." It was an old ploy but one that often worked.

"And she can be convinced to see herself correctly?" That was of course the hard part. The magic of the forest was based in part on perception. The company had spent a good deal of time analyzing it. They had intentionally let a number of people visit the campgrounds within the forest to see what would happen. Some left unchanged... Others not as much. As far as they could tell it was all based how you perceived yourself. Those who went out into the woods to hunt... Who saw themselves as predators would take the form of a wild beast. Those who were more docile or timid often became small prey animals. There were two ways to resist the magic of the forest.

One was to have a strong sense of self. Those who knew who they were and accepted it were immune to the magic.

The second was to be completely empty inside. If you lost all dreams and sense of hope then there was nothing for the forest's magic to work off.

The second option was of course easier to create in others. That was what they were going to accomplish before the end of the day. Then maybe finally... He would be able to go home.

The manager hung up the phone with a sigh. Everything was in motion, but he still couldn't go leave for the day, not until it was settled He'd probably have to head out there himself. Before that... He had one more phone call to make. He had to make sure no one arrived before it was time.

Why was this his responsibility?

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Nick drove as Deb sat in the passenger seat. He was very much aware this was just like the first time they had gone out to the campground. He was driving the same car and taking it along the same route. The griffin fidgeted uncomfortably in his seat. He had been twitchy last time too but for entirely different reasons. He kept passing glances at Deb as he drove.

The squirrel wasn't very talkative. She hadn't been for awhile... Not since she regained her original form. Her experience in the forest had been traumatic to say the least... No that wasn't quite right. It was being dragged out and forced to return to normalcy that been traumatic.

"We'll be there in about an hour at this rate," Nick spoke up trying to make some form of conversation. When Deb didn't reply he spoke again. Anything just to get penetrate the eerie silence that hung in the air. "So... You'll see your kits again soon."

"Yes..." Deb spoke quietly. It was difficult for her to piece everything together. It almost felt as if her time spent as a wild fox in the woods was nothing more than a dream. That terrified her. The idea it would all just disappear from her mind. She had kits. Her babies. She had born them and known such joy... And now all memory of them could just vanish? She refused. She clung to that memory as if it was the only hope left in her life.

"We'll find them..." Nick tried to sound comforting. In truth he was well out of his comfort zone. He had no idea what to say in a situation like this. Maybe he shouldn't say anything. That would probably be the best... And yet he couldn't stop himself from asking. "So... What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean?" Deb became rigid in her seat. The squirrel fixed the griffin with an icy look.

"I just..." Nick turned his attention back to the road to avoid returning her gaze. "I just felt like... We didn't have much of a plan. Once we find your cubs... What then?"

"Then I'll protect them until they're old enough to take care of themselves," Deb responded without emotion.

"Okay... But how?" Nick asked. "Are you going to take them back home and keep them in your apartment? Or... Were you planning to stay out here again?"

Deb didn't respond to this. In truth she didn't know. She was so focused on being reunited with the kits she hadn't put a lot of thought into what her plan actually was. If she stayed out here... The company would just drag her back again... If she brought the kits home with her... Was a life as house pets what she really wanted for them?

"Deb?" Nick spoke again noticing her silence. Before he could push the conversation further he got distracted when he tried to pull the car off onto an old county road. The road was blocked. A barricade and orange cones were placed cutting the road off as a sign warned about ongoing roadwork. Nick sighed and pulled back onto the main road. There were other roads he could take... It was just going to add an extra hour or two to his drive time. Still... As he looked at Deb he didn't know what else to do but drive on.

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Emily looked at her phone and sighed in annoyance. There was no signal. The goat slowly put it back in her pocket and looked around. She had no way to call her contact. It wasn't that she didn't mind the outdoors... If this were a casual camping trip she wouldn't have cared. However she was supposed to be meeting a lawyer out here. There was no sign of him though.

She was here because apparently an uncle she had never heard of left her a rather sizable plot of land. At first she thought it was a scam... But then when the paperwork was sent over it seemed to check out. Turns out it wasn't so much that her uncle had left her his inheritance... It was that he had no heir at all. She just happened to be the closest living relative. Still, he had apparently owned a campground and now it was to become hers. She had been asked to come out to survey the property and sign off on a few forms before the legal matters could progress.

But... The person she was supposed to meet was nowhere in sight.

She wondered if she was in the right place. The campground was huge... And as far as she could tell there was no actual office. Apparently, her 'uncle' didn't want anything constructed on the actual campgrounds. The official office was somewhere back in town... But the lawyer had insisted on the phone that she come out here in person to see the campgrounds before anything could be signed over. Inheritance laws were weird.

Emily dug one of her hooves into the grass idly. At this point it would take her so long to walk back to the car she would miss the meeting anyway if this was the wrong place. She supposed the best option was to wait.

And thankfully... Her contact did eventually arrive.

He was a haggard looking human in an old dusty business suit. He looked tired and irritable... As if every part of him wanted to be somewhere else today. Emily couldn't help but feel sorry for him. He clearly wasn't at home out in nature but had been forced out here anyway.

"Emily?" He asked breathing heavily as he came near her.

"Yes..." Emily responded. "I take it you're my uncle's lawyer... Um... Are you okay? You look... A little exhausted."

"I'll live," the man spoke but his tone suggested he was already dead inside.

"Can't believe they made you hike all the way out here just so sign some papers," Emily almost felt embarrassed about her own discomfort out here. This was clearly way worse on the lawyer.

"I go where the job requires," was all the man said.

"So um..." Emily looked over the lawyer noticing something was off. He didn't appear to have a briefcase or folder or anything like that on him. "Were there papers I was supposed to be signing."

"Oh..." The man looked down at himself. He didn't look flustered or embarrassed. He just looked tired. "Yes... I must have left them in the car."

"So do you need to go back and get them?" Emily asked.

"Eventually," the lawyer replied. "But... Since we're out here. We're required to do a walkthrough. Let's do that now before we head back to the parking lot."

"I suppose that makes sense," Emily replied. The poor guy looked so tired. If she forced him to hike back to the lot and then do the walkthrough he might not make it. She just hoped he had enough in him to get through this now. She was guessing law school didn't prepare one hiking all over the woodlands.

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"Another road is closed off?" Nick had to pull off the road at this point. This was getting ridiculous. He had tried approaching the campgrounds from three different directions now and the roads were closed on all sides.

"They're trying to stop us," Deb responded.

"No one is trying to stop us!" Nick protested... As soon as he said it he found himself doubting it. He had... More experience with this side of the company. The forest had been Deb's first exposure to their interest in magic... But Nick had encountered it more than a few times. When things happened to its employees the company knew. They always got you back... Changed you back. If you asked someone at HR about it... They would say it was because the company cared about you. More likely it was because the company owned you. Sure... You could quit, but then you'd have to find a new job with the same pay and benefits. They imprisoned you with complacence.

"They knew I was out there," Deb responded. "And they know I'm trying to go back. They're not going to let me."

"But..." Nick wanted to protest that Deb was being paranoid. But what she said wasn't necessarily untrue. The company was not going to let one of their employees run off and become a wild animal. If they knew that they were going back for her fox kits they could be interfering. It wouldn't be that much effort for them to have a road marked as closed off. But? What would be the plan? "If they are trying to stop us... They can only stall us, it's not like they can stop us from getting back to the camp forever."

"But why would they want to stall us?" Deb turned to look at Nick. "Unless they had a permanent solution." Deb didn't have to say more. Nick understood her implication. Without another word he got out of the car and walked over to the barricade on the road. He was out of shape but even he could move these. He pushed the wooden barricade and the orange cones to the side of the road before getting back into the car.

"Do you think there really are any obstacles on the road?" Deb asked as Nick returned.

"We're about to find out," Nick replied as he pulled the car back onto the road and then headed down the street that had been blocked off.

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"This seems like a long walk," Emily spoke as she followed the lawyer through the woods.

"Your uncle owned a lot of land," the lawyer grunted as he continued his walk. He looked as if he was going to pass out from exhaustion at any moment. He kept looking around nervously as if expecting something.

"What are looking for?" Emily asked.

"Ah well um..." The lawyer paused briefly. "Just keeping an eye out for wild animals."

"Most animals are more scared of us than we are of them," Emily smiled. "As long as you leave them be and keep your distance they'll usually leave you alone."

"Oh it's not that," the lawyer replied. "It's mostly that I hear the animals here are quite unusually docile. I was simply hoping to catch a glimpse of them since we were already out there?"

"Is that so?" Emily wasn't sure. The lawyer had seemed nervous... But she supposed it was also possible he was just exhausted while looking around.

"Yes... And... Ah!" the lawyer suddenly seemed at ease. "It seems we have a few visitors!" He pointed... Not quite enthusiastically but with more energy than he had shown all day in the distance.

"Where?" Emily raised her hand-hooves over her eyes and looked in the direction he was pointing. It took her a few moments but then she saw them. Six tiny fox kits that were hiding in a nearby bush and watching the two curiously. "I see them! They're adorable!"

"Yes... They are," the lawyer didn't seem to have much emotion in his voice. He started towards them.

"Be careful," Emily spoke. "Whenever you see cubs like this about mommy can't be too far away."

"Not too far at all..." The lawyer slowed his advance. "But really I'd say the animals have nothing to fear from you. You're kind of like a second mother for them."

"That's... A rather odd thing to say," Emily narrowed her eyes and looked at the man.

"What I mean is..." The lawyer seemed to think for a moment. It was almost as if he was recalling a prepared speech. "Your uncle went through a lot of pains to keep this forest undeveloped. He cared very deeply for the animals here. These animals won't survive without your help."

"That's what this is about?" Realization seemed to dawn on Emily. Her uncle must have had some stipulation that she had to be dragged out here so that she could appreciate the wonders of nature. That wasn't really necessary. "I have no intention of changing this into anything than a campground. I'll try to keep everything the same."

"Excellent," the lawyer nodded. "That is wonderful to hear. Because you are their guardian now. Look at those fox kits. Just think of them. Such small fragile things. They need as much help as possible to survive.

"A little melodramatic..." Emily stared at the fox kits. They were absolutely precious. "But... I guess these little guys are in need of protection."

"Yes... And always remember it's up to you to protect them," the lawyer nodded.

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The sun was beginning to set by the time Nick and Deb finally made it to the campground. As soon as they pulled into the parking lot Deb was out of the car.

"Why are there two other cars here?" Deb asked as she examined the parking lot.

"Maybe other campers?" It was more a hope than a suggestion.

"That's our manager's car," Deb pointed to a nondescript black vehicle. "They're already here. Come on let's get going!" With that the squirrel marched down the trail leading to the campground.

"Hey... Wait up!" Nick shouted as he took off after her. The two made it about halfway down the trail before they ran into the manager on his way back.

"What did you do!?" Deb shouted angrily as she saw him.

"Only what needed to be done." The manager replied glumly.

"I swear if you hurt them..." Deb started.

"Do you really think we would do something like that?" The manager asked. "We're not monsters. The fox kits-"

"My kits," Deb interrupted.

"The kits," the manager insisted. "Are alive and well. They're just ahead if you want to see them." Rather than respond Deb shoved past the manager heading deeper into the forest.

"Um... hi boss..." Nick spoke nervously now that he was alone with the manager.

"Good evening Nick," the manager replied courteously. "You must have known it would end this way. Why did you get the poor thing's hopes up? You should know you were only setting her up to hurt her. Tell her to do the smart thing Nick. Tell her to let her dreams fade. It won't bring her happiness... But it will numb the pain."

"Is that what you do?" Nick asked.

"It's what we all do when we want to survive," the manger replied with a sigh. "I'll see you both on Monday." With that he disappeared heading back to the parking lot. Nick hurried onward in the direction he had seen Deb vanish to.

He found her on her knees in the grass. She was staring straight ahead. Her fox kits were there... But there was another fox. It was a female fox. It growled a warning as Deb tried to come near.

"But..." Deb held out a hand. "They're mine... Don't you recognize me?" She beckoned to the cubs. The cubs responded by whining and moving to hide behind their 'mother.'

"Deb... I'm sorry," Nick placed a hand on her shoulder as she flinched. "I... I thought we could get here in time... I thought I could reunite you with them."

"Nick..." Tears were coming from Deb's eyes. "I..." She didn't know what to do, what to say. Her babies had been the one thing she kept thinking about... The one thing she had held onto to stay sane... To keep that last bit of happiness alive. Now... They not only didn't recognize her, they had replaced her. "How... How could they do this?"

"They think it's better this way..." Nick knelt down next to Deb.

"They're wrong," Deb replied.

"Probably..." Nick sighed. "I... I wish there was more we could do." As Nick spoke the foxes retreated into the woods. Deb watched them go and then collapsed against Nick's side. She began to sob quietly. Unsure of what else to do Nick embraced her and held her close.

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Life returned to normal. That was probably the most horrifying thing about the ordeal. After everything that happened... Den returned to the same old routine. Wake up, go to work and do paperwork all day. The world had moved on. It didn't care she had lost something important. She was just one of many pieces in a machine. It didn't have time to care.

The first day back had been rough... But it got easier. The pain never went away... Deb just became numb over time. Eventually even she was working her daily routine as if nothing happened.

Today's shift was over. Deb was packing up her back and preparing to leave.

"Um... Deb..." Nick had come over to her desk near the end of the shift. He was twitching nervously as he spoke to her. Same as normal.

"Yes Nick?" Deb asked in the polite but uninterested tone of all office workers.

"I was..." Nick looked at the ground. "Well I mean... I just thought... If you were bored after work and wanted company... There was a new movie playing."

"I can't tonight Nick," Deb replied firmly.

"I see..." Nick looked down trodden.

"But... Would you consider the weekend instead?"

"I understand..." Nick paused. "I mean... Sure. We can do it Saturday!"

"Great, I'll see you then." Deb wasn't sure if what she had with Nick could be described as a relationship. There was a bond between them now... One that had been created by the experience they shared. It was hard to say if it was a good or a bad thing... Or if even it would amount to anything... But it was a comfort to be around him.

For now... She got up to leave and walked to her car. She took the same path home she did every day now.

But... That was one thing that had changed. It wasn't the same path she used to take. It was quite a bit longer. Deb got home later every night, but this was something she needed. There was a stop she had to make.

Deb pulled into the campgrounds parking lot and made the walk out to the campsite. There, she opened a bag and set out several small slices of raw meat on the ground. She then moved away and sat down. A few minutes later a family of foxes arrived. The kits came running out eagerly, and began to tear and bite at the meat. The mother fox came out more slowly and sat down near the meat. She kept a wary eye on Deb, but other than that remained motionless.

Once the fox kits had devoured the meat they looked at Deb expectantly. There was wonder and confusion in their eyes. They didn't understand who this person was that brought them food every night. However... Soon their mom barked, and all six cubs retreated into the woods following her.

Deb smiled. They were getting bigger. She would need to bring more meat tomorrow.

Maybe... She couldn't be with them. She couldn't raise them herself. But she could watch them grow.

The company had hurt her. They had forced her to face reality, to accept she could never truly be a part of their world... But despite this crushing realization... Despite everything she had been through...

The dream refused to fade.